No names, and no chance

Third D-League player enters revolving door

For the third time in two days, the Heat dipped into the NBA Development League to add a player on a 10-day contract to its injury-ravaged roster.

This time it was 27-year-old journeyman forward Kasib Powell, who until Saturday morning was playing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce in South Dakota, after previous professional stops in Greece, Russia, Bosnia, North Dakota, and Flint, Mich.

Powell was in uniform for Saturday's 94-82 loss to the Bobcats, joined by Blake Ahearn and Stephane Lasme, who were summoned by the Heat from the D-League a day earlier.

Powell, who played three scoreless minutes against Charlotte, claimed the roster spot of swingman Bobby Jones, who was not offered a second 10-day contract, despite leading the Heat with 15 points in Friday's loss to visiting Washington.

Powell became the 22nd player to see action for the Heat this season, tying the franchise record.

The revolving door from the D-League has reached a point where the Heat locker room has been reduced to a group of strangers.

Ninty minutes before tipoff, for example, forward Ricky Davis called Ahearn "Aheard," said he did not know that it was Lasme who was wearing No. 45, and said of Powell, "I really haven't even met him yet."

"It's tough," Davis said. "It's like playing pickup ball with guys, just going out there and playing."

Not only did names such as Ahearn, Lasme and Powell dot Saturday's active roster - instead of names such as Wade, Mourning and Marion - but assistant coach Ron Rothstein again was left to guide the team, with Pat Riley, in his dual role as team president, continuing to scout the NCAA Tournament.

That left precious few, such as Davis and point guard Jason Williams, in their regular roles, left to deal with the unique circumstances of this season gone sour.

"They're not missing any checks are they? Right?" Rothstein said of Heat veterans having to endure this revolving door of new teammates. "Go ask them if any of their checks haven't come through yet. I don't want to hear it. It's nonsense."

Still, the situation had Davis shaking his head.

"It's tough when you're coming over here to win and this happens," he said.

Who is Kasib Powell?

In addition to his world tour of other professional leagues, Powell in previous years had attended training camps of the Bulls, Timberwolves, Magic and Grizzlies, yet to make his NBA debut before Saturday.

"It's been a long journey," said the New Jersey native, who played at Texas Tech under Bob Knight. "You go to sleep every day hoping you can get that call in the morning."

Powell received the call before a Friday D-League game against Iowa but decided to play one final game in Sioux Falls, scoring 25 points, to put his Skyforce stats at 22.3 points on 50.9 percent shooting.

Among Powell's claims to fame, according to his web site, is defeating former Heat point guard Smush Parker in a dunking contest in Greece.

Powell played in a generic No. 22 jersey. At one point after Powell checked in with those three minutes to play, Bobcats center Nazr Mohammed leaned back to see who the Heat newcomer was, only to realize there was no name on the back of Powell's jersey.

"Just getting here, it's all excitement for me," Powell said of his NBA debut.

Jones sent packing

Jones could wind up replacing Powell on the Sioux Falls roster.

Asked to assess Jones' six-game Heat tenure, Rothstein said, "Toughness. Hustle. Shot the 3 well. He struggled when he put the ball on the floor. He showed some signs of improvement, which is kind of encouraging.

"It's not out of the question that he could be brought back before the season's over."

Before leaving to scout, Riley spoke of taking a look at a variety of prospects on 10-day contracts these remaining weeks of the season.

Players receive between $25,000 and $45,000 for each 10-day contract. ...

Forward Gerald Wallace led the Bobcats with 26 points. Williams had 19 points and eight assists for the Heat.